Music-chart.



PATENTBD JUNE 11, 1907.

W J MORRIS MUSIC GHART. APPLICATION Hum mm a, 1906.

JMaras W1 T/VESSES: q KW WILLIAM J. MORRIS, OF VVAURIKA, OKLAHOMATERRITORY.

MUSIC-CHART.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed June 8,1906- $61ialN0. 320,816-

To all whom it may cmwern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM J. h IORRIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at aurika, in the county of Comanche and Territory ofOklahoma, have invented a new and useful Music-Chart, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to music charts for use by beginners in the studyof pianoforte playing.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive chartwhich can be readily applied adjacent the keyboard of an instrument andwhich has indicators combined therewith for visually designating thekeys to be depressed in playing the scale of any given signature.

Another object is to provide a proof attachment whereby the accuracy ofthe positions of the indexes can be readily determined.

A still further object is to provide a music chart by the use of which abeginner can quickly learn to properly locate various degrees of thestaff upon thekeyboard.

Vl ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of achart made up of a series of spaces disposed longitudinally thereon andequal in width to the distances between the black keys of the keyboardso that when the chart is in position back of the keys the dividinglines between the spaces will be disposed directly above the black keys.These spaces contain the note-designating letters and arranged aboveeach letter is an index or pointer which is pivotally mounted so as tobe conveniently shifted in order to indicate either the white key thereunder or either of the adjoining black keys. Heavy lines are placedabove those letters on the chart which indicate the notes on the linesof the staff, those lines extending below the bass staff and above thetreble staff being lighter than the remaining lines so that the notescan be readily located. by the student. Inclined arrows aredesignatedupon the stall and extend from the pivots of the indexes to theadjoining division lines of the spaces, those arrows extending to theleft of the indexes being used to designate the positions to be assumedby the indexes in indicating flats and those extending to the rightbeing employed for a similar purpose in designating sharps. A proofchart is provided for use in connection with the indicator chart and issimilarly divided into spaces containing syllables of the major diatonicscale so that by properly placing these syllables above the index scalethe positions to be assumed by the indexes in order to indicate thelocation of the notes in any desired key can be readily determined.

The invention also consists of certain other novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter morefully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of theinvention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of akeyboard having the indicating chart in position thereon; Fig. 2 is anenlarged view of one half of the indicating chart adjusted to indicatethe keyof D flat; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the other half thereof;Fig. 1 is a view of the proof chart the same being shown in positionupon the indicating chart; and Fig. 5 is a section on line Fig. 4.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, A is the keyboardof an instrument above the rear portion of which is sooured anindicating chart B which may be fastened into position in any preferredmanner. As shown particularly in Figs. 2 and. 3 this chart has a columnof spaces 1 arranged .along the lower edge thereof said spaces beingequal in width to the distances between the black keys and containingindicating letters of the keys above which the spaces are located.Middle C of the staff is preferably located adjacent the center of thechart. A pointer or index 2 is pivotally connected to the chart aboveeach of the note indicating letters and these pointers when in theirnormal positions, as when indicating the key of C, point directly to theletters within. the spaces. I'Ieavy lines 3 appear upon the chart abovethe letters of those notes occurring upon the lines of the stall whilethe word space or an abbreviation thereof such as sp is printed orotherwise indicated on the chart above those letters indi cating thenotes to be found in. the spaces of the staff. Those notes appearing onsmall lines above or below the staff have short lines 4 extending upwardfrom their indicat ing letters on the chart, said lines being preferablyassociated with the words short line or an abbreviation thereof. Thedivision lines 5 between the spaces 1 indicate the position of the flator sharp of a note and arrows 6 and 7 extend in opposite directions fromeach pointer 2 to the adjoiningdivision lines 5. Those arrowsextendingto the left of the pointers of the spaces are indicated by theword sp ace or an abbreviation thereof and a flat indicating characterwhile those extending to the right thereof are indicated by the wordspace or an abbreviation thereof and the sharp indicating character. Thearrows extending from the pointers of the lines 3 are similarlyindicated with the exception that the word line or an abbreviationthereof is substituted for the word space. As the signature of the keyof G flat is six flats said signature is disposed above the divisionline 5 at the left of the letter G below middle 0 and for the samereason the signature of four flats is arranged above the division lineto the left of letter A; two flats above the division line to the leftof the letter B five flats above the division. line to the left of theletterD three flats above the division line to the left of letter E; andone flat above the letter F. The key notes of the sharps are indicatedat the right of middle C by the signatures of the various keys which areproperly placed above the letters designating the key notes. Byreference to the chart it will be noted that the signature of six sharpsis disposed above the division line of F and G; one sharp is disposedabove the letter G; three sharps above the letter A; live sharps abovethe letter B; two sharps above the letter D; and four sharps above theletter E.

With the parts indicated and arranged in the manner herein described thenotes of the scale of any desired key can be readily determined. Forinstance, if the location of the notes of the scale in the key of D flatis to be determined the D indicating pointer is .swung to the left toindicate D flat and the pointers of the letters E, G, A, and B are swungto the left to indicate the division lines to the loft thereof. The keysof the keyboard indicated by these pointers are the ones to be depressedin playing the scale. The scales in various other keys can be determinedwith equal facility.

In order that the adjustment of the pointers may be proven correct orincorrect and to enable beginners who are not fully acquainted with thelocation of the tones and semi-tones, to properly position the notes ofthe scale a proof chart C is provided such as shown in 4. This chart Chas hooks 8 at its upper edge for engaging the corresponding edge of theindicating chart B. A colunm of spaces 9 is arranged along the loweredge of the proof chart and these spaces correspond with the spaces 1 ofthe indicating chart. instead of said spaces being indicated by theletters of the notes they are indicated by the syllable of the notes sothat when the two charts are positioned to indirate the key of C thesyllables do am re will be disposed above the letters C and l) oftheindicating chart and the othersyllables are correspondingly properlypositioned. Characters such as employed for graphical ly designating thevarious notes may be associated upon the proof chart with the notesyllables, and the division lines 10 between. the spaces 9 have sharpand flat characters located to the left and right thereof respectivelyso as to indicate the direction of a tone in sharping or flatting anynote. Openings 11 are formed within the proof chart above the syllabledo and obviously whenever this syllable is placed above any of thesharps or llats the signature of the key thus indicated will appear inthe opening as shown in big. 4. in said figure it will be noted that thesignature of four flats appears within the opening and that the syllabledo is disposed above the division line to the left of letter A. Thepointer 2 extends in the direction of said line andthe other pointersindicate that within the scale of A flat the notes B, D, and E as wellas A are flattcd. l lei-cover said pointers also indicate which keys ofthe keyboard are to be depressed in playing the scales. lit will benoted that the syllables do, mi" and sol are further indicated by theletter T and that the syllable do, fa and la are further indicated bythe letter S and that the syllables ti, re and sol arc further indicatedby the letter D. These lettors are employed to indicate the tonesof thevarious chords the letters T indicating the notes to be played when thetonic harmony predominates; the Ss when subdominant and the Ds whendominant.

The charts herein described are very simple, and by their use abegini'icr in. the study of piano or other playing can quickly learn toproperly locate the chords of various keys and can easily distinguishupon a keyboard the notes indicated upon a staff.

The preferred form of the invention has been set forth in the ftn'egoingdescriptian but I do not limit myself thereto as i am aware thatmodifications may be made thercin without departing from the spirit orsacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right tomake such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. A chart comprising a strip having a column of spaces along one edgeadapted to register with the spaces between the black keys of akeyboard, said spaces coi'itaining note indicating letters, and apointer pivotally mounted adjacent each letter, any one of said pointersadaptedv to be adjusted to either side of its letter to indicate thesharp or flat of said letter.

2. A chart comprising a strip having a column of spaces thereon adaptedto register with the spaces between the black keys of a keyboard, eachspace containing a letter or letters indicating notes of the scale, thedivision lines between the spaces being disposed above the black keyswhen the strip is in position and designating the sharps or flats of theletters, certain of said letters having arranged adjacent thereto thesignatures of the keys in which said letters designate the key notes,and pointers movably mounted adjacent, and normally indicating theletters, said pointers adapted to be adjusted in the direction of theadjoining division lines.

3. A chart comprising a strip having a column of spaces thereon adaptedto register with the spaces between the black keys of a keyboard, eachspace containing a letter or letters indicating notes of the scale, thedivision lines between the spaces being disposed above the blackkeyswhen the strip is in position and designating the sharps or flats ofthe letters, certain of said letters having arranged acent thereto thesignatures of thekeys in which said letters designate the key notes,pointers movably mounted adjacent,

and normally indicating the letters, said pointers adapted to beadjusted in the direction of the adjoining division lines, and a proofchart comprising a strip having a column of spaces thereon correspondingwith the spaces in the first mentioned chart, said spaces beingindicated by the syllables of the diatonic scale.

4. A chart comprising a strip having a column of spaces thereon adaptedto register with the spaces between the black keys of a keyboard; eachspace containing a letter or letters indicating notes of the scale, thedivision lines between the spaces being disposed above the black keyswhen the strip is in position and designating the sharps or flats of theletters, certain of said letters having arranged adjacent thereto thesignatures of the keys in which said letters designate the key notes,pointers movably mounted adjacent, and normally indicating the letters,said pointers adapted to be adjusted in the direction of the oiningdivision lines, and a proof chart adjustably mounted upon the firstmentioned chart and having a column of spaces corresponding with thespaces of the first mentioned chart, said spaces being designated by thesyllables of the diatonic scale, said proof chart having openingsadapted to register with the signature, on the first mentioned chart, ofthe key to which the chart is adjusted.

5. A chart comprising a strip having a column of spaces thereon adaptedto register with the spaces between the black keys of a keyboard, eachspace containing a letter or letters indicating notes of the scale, thedivision lines between the spaces being disposed above the black keyswhen the strip is in position and designating the sharps or flats of theletters, certain of said letters havingarranged ad acent thereto thesignatures of the keys in which said letters (lGSlf rate the key notes,pointers movably moi ated adjacent, and normally indicatin the letters,said pointers adapt to be adjusted in direction of the ad oiniz'igdivision lines, a proof strip having a column of spaces indicatedthereon and similar to the spaces on the first mentioned chart, saidspaces being designated by the syllables of the diatonic scale, andcertain of said s aees being designated by characters notes to be playedwhen tr nant or tonic harmony predominates, and means upon the proofstrip for slidably engaging the chart.

6. A chart com 'irising a strip having a column of spaces thereonadapted to register with the spaces between the black keys of akeyboard, each space containing a letter or letters indicating notes ofthe scale, the (livision lines between the spaces being disposed abovethe black keys when the strip is in position and designating the sharpsor flats of the letters, certain of said letters having arrangedadjacent thereto the signatures of the keys in which said lettersdesignate the key notes, pointers movably mounted adj acent, andnormally indicating the letters, said pointers adapted to be adjusted inthe direction of the adjoining division lines, a proof strip having acolumn of spaces indicated thereon and similar to the spaces on thefirst mentioned chart, said spaces being designated by the syllables ofthe diatonic scale, and certain of said spaces being designated bycharacters for indicating the notes to be played when the dominant,subdominant or tonic harmony predominates, means upon the proof stripfor slidably engaging the chart, said proof strip having openingsadapted to register with the signatures of the key designated by thechart.

7. A music chart comprising a strip having a column of spaces along oneedge adapted to register with the spaces between the black keys of akeyboard, said spaces containing note indicating characters, said stripbeing also provided with a plurality of lines and spaces for indicatingthe relative positions of the notes upon the stafl, and pointers movablymounted adjacent the letters and adapted to be swung to either sidethereof to indicate the sharps and flats.

8. The combination with a strip having a plurality of key indicatingspaces thereon and key designating letters within the spaces; thedivision lines between said spaces indicating the sharps or flats of thedesignated keys, and pointers movably mounted adjacent the letters fordesignating said letters or the adjoining division lines of a proofstrip having a series of spaces thereon correspomling with the spaces onthe first mentioned strip, said spaces being designated by the syllablesof the diatonic scale, and means upon-the proof strip for slidablyengaging the first mentioned strip.

9. The combination with a strip having a plurality of key indicatingspaces thereon and key designating letters within the spaces, thedivision lines between said spaces indicating the sharps or flats of thedesig nated keys, and pointers movably mounted adjacent the letters fordesignating said letters or the adjoining division lines, said striphaving indicated thereon adjacent some of the letters the signatures ofthe keys .in which said letters indicate the key notes; of a proof striphaving a series of spaces thereon corresponding with the spaces on thefirst mentioned. strip, said spaces being designated by the syllables ofthe diatonic scale, and means upon the proof strip for slidably engagingthe first mentioned strip.

10. The combination with a strip having a plurality of key indicatingspaces thereon and key designating letters within the spaces, thedivision lines between said. spaces indicating the sharps or flats ofthe designated keys, and pointers movably mounted adjacent the lettersfor designating said. letters or the adjoining division lines, saidstrip having indicated thereon adjacent some of the letters thesignatures of the keys in which said letters indicate the key notes; ofa proof strip having spaces thereon corresponding with the spaces 011the first mentioned strip, said spaces being designated by the syllablesof the diatonic scale, and means upon the proof strip for slidabiyengaging the first mentioned strip, said strip having openings thereinadapted to register with the signature of the key indicated by the proofstrip.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixedv my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. MORRIS.

itnesses WILLIAM F. HARRIS, E. L. DABBS.

